The Glenn's first stage can hover. Even nearly empty, the booster is heavy enough and the BE-4 can throttle low enough that it doesn't need to do a suicide burn. Instead, and as they just demonstrated, it can just gently lower itself down on the deck.
Takes more prop to do so, but for a second attempt, the decision to play it safe was perfectly sound. It's practically guaranteed that they'll dial the margins in with more flights. This might be the softest landing that a New Glenn ever experiences.
11 Comments
Jumuta@sh.itjust.works · 9 pts · 288d
those spot weld things are really neat
threelonmusketeers@sh.itjust.works · 1 pts · 287d
I didn't notice that during the livestream!
Indeed, it is really neat.
clothes@lemmy.world · 7 pts · 288d
Wow! I am so impressed. Seems like they took a cautious trajectory and burned lots of fuel on the landing, but that looked great!
Jumuta@sh.itjust.works · 5 pts · 288d
I guess escapade being tiny gave them a lot more margin
Bimfred@lemmy.world · 7 pts · 288d
The Glenn's first stage can hover. Even nearly empty, the booster is heavy enough and the BE-4 can throttle low enough that it doesn't need to do a suicide burn. Instead, and as they just demonstrated, it can just gently lower itself down on the deck.
Takes more prop to do so, but for a second attempt, the decision to play it safe was perfectly sound. It's practically guaranteed that they'll dial the margins in with more flights. This might be the softest landing that a New Glenn ever experiences.
burble@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 3 pts · 288d
I wonder if they'll go with for full Falcon 9 style suicide burn at some point.
bear@lemmy.blahaj.zone · 3 pts · 288d
I assume that's a method of using the minimum amount of thrust and time in the air? So, full blast at the last possible second?
burble@lemmy.dbzer0.com · 2 pts · 288d
Yup. Falcon 9's Merlin engines have too high of a thrust to weight ratio to hover, so they have to do a last second burn. If it doesn't work, boom.
It does also save fuel.
Bimfred@lemmy.world · 1 pts · 287d
If they do, it won't be anytime soon. They have no pressing need to.
Bimfred@lemmy.world · 6 pts · 288d
Absolutely beautiful flight. The engineers deserve every bit of the pride they're feeling right now.
ludu@sh.itjust.works · 3 pts · 287d
Congrats to the teams